# Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

> A general program that focuses on one or more of the Germanic languages of Western, Central, and Northern Europe. Includes instruction in philology; linguistics; dialects and pidgins; literature; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/programs/germanic-languages-literatures-and-linguistics
- CIP code: 16.05 (Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics)
- Colleges offering it: 324 at its most common degree level

## Outcomes by degree level (College Scorecard, 2025)

| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings 1 yr | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median federal debt |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| Certificate | 41 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Associate's | 16 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Bachelor's | 324 | $55,715 | $52,278 | $18,716 |
| Master's | 68 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Doctoral | 41 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 5 | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Colleges whose graduates earn the most (Bachelor's)

Only programs with at least 10 graduates are listed.

| College | Location | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: |
| [University of Rhode Island](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-rhode-island-uri-3025) | Kingston, RI | $90,953 | $19,500 |
| [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-main-campus-2956) | Ann Arbor, MI | $68,898 | $18,716 |
| [Michigan State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/michigan-state-university-1677) | East Lansing, MI | $53,183 | not reported |
| [University of North Carolina at Charlotte](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-north-carolina-at-charlotte-2991) | Charlotte, NC | $51,373 | not reported |
| [Luther College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/luther-college-1557) | Decorah, IA | $49,769 | not reported |

## Related careers (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk)

- [Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/foreign-language-and-literature-teachers-postsecondary): $79,350 median pay
- [Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/secondary-school-teachers-except-special-and-career-technical-education): $72,040 median pay
- [Interpreters and Translators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/interpreters-and-translators): $60,170 median pay

## More in Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

- [Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/romance-languages-literatures-and-linguistics): 841 colleges
- [Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/linguistic-comparative-and-related-language-studies-and-services): 376 colleges
- [Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/classics-and-classical-languages-literatures-and-linguistics): 269 colleges
- [East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/east-asian-languages-literatures-and-linguistics): 160 colleges
- [American Sign Language](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/american-sign-language): 138 colleges
- [Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/slavic-baltic-and-albanian-languages-literatures-and-linguistics): 136 colleges
- [Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/middle-near-eastern-and-semitic-languages-literatures-and-linguistics): 83 colleges
- [Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/foreign-languages-literatures-and-linguistics-other): 45 colleges

## Sources

- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/
- NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/